


Turn Your World On

by Lady_Star_Strings



Series: How 'Bout a Dance [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Abusive Relationship, Additional Tags to Be Added, Adoptive Relationship, Allusion to MC Championship, Allusion to Minecraft Manhunt, Allusion to SMP War, Allusion to Speedrunning, Alter Egos, Alternate Universe - Dance Crew, Anxiety/Paranoia, Arguments, Arrest, Assault, Badlands, Beta is Supportive Fiance, Character Rivalries, Characters Are Personas, Childhood Friends, Collaboration Events, Coming Out, Communication Issues, Competitive Rivalries, Confessions, Dance Competitions, Denial of Feelings, Depictions of Serious Injury, Depression, Developing Relationship, Dream Smp, Explicit Language, F/M, Fake Relationship, Figurative Relationship, Found Family, Free-running, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, IG Names, Implied Relationship, Independent Creators, Insecure Characters, Insomnia Disorder, Internal Conflict, Internalized Phobias, Internet Celebrities, LGBTQ+ characters, L’Manberg/Pogtopia, M/M, MC Championship, Manberg, Mentions of Police - Freeform, Mentions of alcohol, Mentions of drugs, Mentions of self-harm, Misunderstandings, Mr. Beast Crew, Multi, Mutual Pining, One-sided pining, Panic Attacks, Parkour, Personal Pets, Platonic Relationship, Real Names, Realization of Feelings, References to Canon Material, Requited Love, Rise to Fame, Secret Identities, Secret Relationship, Self-Esteem Issues, Shared Pets, Sleepy Bois Inc. - Freeform, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, Social Media, Songs in Notes, Tags May Be Missing, Unrequited Love, accepting oneself, adopted family, canon-divergence, city life, dance crew au, dance crews, depictions of mental illness, depictions of violence, dream team, fluff/angst, friendly rivalries, jealous characters, mentions of abuse, minecraft youtubers - Freeform, mugshots, past relationship, poor self-care, public figures
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:49:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27639800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Star_Strings/pseuds/Lady_Star_Strings
Summary: Making it big in the industry is easy when you have luck on your side and for the Dream Team, luck practically walks among them with up-and-coming Dream as the lead to their dance crew. With their career as a crew on the rise and the popularity of internet sensations as a whole growing in their wake, they can only continue to climb the ladder to starry success higher and higher.Behind the curtains, however, they know all too well that although luck makes it easy, life has never been one to avoid making everything else hard. Sometimes, all you can do is take it step by step and hope you don't get lost in the rhythm before the lights go down.
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity/Jschlatt, Alexis | Quackity/Karl Jacobs, Clay | Dream/Floris | Fundy, Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Georgenotfound/Ninja, Jschlatt/Minx | JustAMinx (Video Blogging RPF), Karl Jacobs/Sapnap, Niki | Nihachu & Wilbur Soot, Zak Ahmed/Darryl Noveschosch
Series: How 'Bout a Dance [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2020967
Comments: 8
Kudos: 55





	1. Set Me Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Tag Warning: _Insomnia Disorder, Poor Self-Care_**  
>  **Listen Along:** _Turn Your World On_ by TheFatRat 
> 
>   
>   
> Dream's steady workflow nowadays is rather impressive and highly appreciated - well, at least for everyone but George and Sapnap, anyway. To them, there are a few key factors behind the scenes that prevent them from being awed...
> 
> 1) He's late to rehearsal - _again._  
>  2) He's about to fall over from sleep-deprivation.  
> 3) He's an idiot that doesn't know when to quit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning before we get this show on the road, it's been an _extremely_ long amount of time since I've written an actual fan-fic for something, and I've never actually written anything RPF so we're coming in hot with this one. All that being said, I don't think this is _too_ bad of a start for what I'm setting out to write, but I will gracefully take the L if it misses the mark and make adjustments if feedback indicates the need for them. Hopefully, you guys will enjoy how things play out regardless of my stumbling because boy oh boy, do I have _a lot_ planned and fleshed out for not just this fic, but the AU as a whole - side drabbles and possibly art soon to come.
> 
> **Major Disclaimer:** Although you may have already read through them, I still wish to implore any new readers who may _not_ have done so to please read through all of the tags so you know what you're getting into before you dive in blindly. There are some incredibly heavy topics in store down the road and subjects that some may not feel comfortable with being included, so reader discretion is highly advised right out the gate for everyone. I will be sure to mention any of the tags including these topics and subjects in the summary of each chapter they're included in so you know which ones to pass on just in case you need a little head's up or reminder about their inclusion. These mentions will be the first thing listed and look like this:  
> " **Tag Warning: _Insomnia Disorder, Poor Self-Care_** "
> 
> Another thing that will be mentioned in the summary of chapters is the song that inspired their names - some being the song title itself, and others lyrics from said song. These mentions will be the first thing listed - second Tag Warnings are included - and will look like this:  
> " **Listen Along:** _Turn Your World On_ by TheFatRat"
> 
> Now with all of that out of the way, make sure to check out the end notes for information regarding future updates, and let's finally get into this adventure...  
> 

“... _ And _ post...” 

Satisfied with the latest edition to his repertoire, a weary blond leaned against the pole grip of his tramway car as he patiently waited for the feedback to roll in. It would be a short trip, and seeing how prominent he’d become over the past few months in the community he’d posted to, he knew it would be an even shorter wait.

In fact, his tram was still busy reaching a steady pace when the sweet sound of notification pings began to reach his ears, alerting him to tuck away his phone as other commuters checked theirs. Immediately, a grin scrawled across his lips as faces of all kinds lit up, screens turning to watch the video as some gave giddy sounds of excitement at the prospect.

He couldn’t often manage to catch his work’s results firsthand; however, early morning commutes always seemed to have the best reactions.

“No way,” A girl of no more than ten squealed, breaking him from his thoughts as she ecstatically bounced up and down in her seat next to her mother. “Dream just did  _ another  _ run this morning - that’s three in like a day; Thalli’s gonna be so behind at lunch now!”

As he listened to the child babble on with delight, Dream found himself chuckling under his breath with amusement, all the while, his phone buzzed continuously in his sweatshirt pocket. Although he was somewhat bordering the point of exhaustion, reactions like the one he’d just witnessed definitely made each ounce of stress and strain worth it. If he were honest, it felt even more so when it wasn’t intentional.

Initially, he hadn’t planned on filming another run so soon at all - especially not after having already released two the evening prior. Even so, sleep had been difficult to come by, and rehearsal wasn’t due to start until eleven the following morning, so there was little else to keep him occupied. Besides that, the location chosen had been on his mind for a while, and he’d been having issues finding the right time to do it - what better time than when everyone was asleep?

So against what he assumed was his better judgment at four in the morning, Dream had headed out to the other end of town on foot to attempt a recordable run. With a go-pro strapped to his chest and his practice duffel slung over his shoulder, he hardly paid the chilly May morning air much mind as he traveled block by block with a hum. The long walk - and inevitably,  _ leap _ \- was truthfully decent practice and a relatively pleasant break from things, soothing him as he slowly traversed the rooftops to his destination. There was simply something about flying over it all with no one but the city’s soft twilight to watch him do so that put him at ease…

Of course, it had been an easy enough route to map out once he’d arrived - after all, he’d been free-running for nearly a year now and had yet to find a course that he couldn’t tackle given the time. Still, it had certainly taken  _ more  _ time than he’d first thought to get a worthy enough performance, and he was now pushing it to make rehearsal time.

Judging by his phone’s current rhythmic pulsing, his crew must have had the same prediction, but Dream just elected to ignore the call for the time being. His good mood was too overwhelming to bother with the inevitable scoldings between the lingering adrenaline and encroaching fatigue just yet.

Instead of answering, he merely fished his phone back out and quickly swiped ‘ignore’ before sliding up to text the caller before stuffing it back away for the remainder of his ride.

_ Good morning to you too sunshine, like the new run? ;) _

**~☆~☆~☆~**

“You’re an idiot!” George exclaimed before Dream’s bag hit the floor, glaring at him from across the room with his hands on his hips as Sapnap silently nodded in agreement beside him on the floor.

“What do you mean?” Dream quickly chuckled, throwing his hands up in feigned innocence as he failed to hide his mischievous grin.

“Did I ‘like the new run,’ Dream?  _ Seriously _ ?!”

“Well, did you?”

“Oh my god, if I could get away with  _ strangling  _ you right now-

“Go for it, George,” Sapnap chimed in as he stretched far enough to hear the pops in both his back and hips simultaneously. “We can say he ran away to be more like Tarzan when the fans start wondering why he stopped uploading. I mean, with all the runs he’s been posting instead of coming to rehearsal lately, it wouldn’t take much to convince them.”

“Good idea, Sapnap, we can even sell ‘Dream of the Jungle’ shirts to hire a replacement.”

Instantly, Dream’s wheezing guffaws filled the studio as he doubled-over to laugh at the ridiculous story, clutching his ribs as he struggled to catch his breath. “Oh come on now, no one would ever believe-”

“ _ You said the thing again! _ ”

Amidst his laughing fit, the tally marks on the whiteboard and their reason for being had escaped Dream until it was too late to catch himself, much to his friends’ delight. With a shared giggle and high-five exchanged between him and Sapnap, George proceeded to pick up the blue marker labeled as his before adding another neat line to the bundle. All of their names had been featured in that corner for some ridiculous reason or other at one point, but never had Dream’s been there as long as it was during this “turn” - it was still too funny.

It didn’t help that both George and Sapnap were far more attentive and enthusiastic about upholding the count when it was his, nor did his reactions. Dream supposed he couldn’t blame them - seeing anyone flap their mouth like a fish in response to being called out would be too amusing to pass up. The added bonus of it being their best friend and all-mighty crew lead only heightened the hilarity of it all, as childish as it may have seemed.

In some way, no matter the target, they all accept that such immature teasing is a given side-effect when practically growing up with one another. It was only a matter of who could play the game better that was the struggle, and Dream was by no means a bad player.

As their excitement wound down, Dream couldn’t help but fondly roll his eyes at the pair’s antics before giving an absurdly dramatic sigh to redraw their focus on him. Once regained, he quickly dawned a false frown and placed a heavy hand on his heart for added effect.

“This is the thanks I get for fighting sleep deprivation for rehearsal,” Dream said on another drawn-out sigh, voice sounding utterly pathetic as he continued. “Being called an ‘idiot’ and made fun of for something I say a lot - you’ve  _ wounded _ me, George, I’m heartbroken!”

“No one  _ asked _ you to do that run, Dream,” George breezily responded as he, for the most part, ignored the blond’s theatrics. “What were you doing up that early anyway?”

“Apparently ‘idiot things’ since that’s all I am to you!”

“I’m serious Dream, what were you-”

“Doesn’t matter, it was probably too idiotic for you anyw-”

“ _ Dream! _ ”

Relenting on his act, for the time being, Dream ultimately gave a small snicker to accompany Sapnap’s and offered a simple shrug in response to George’s mother-henning.

If he were entirely honest, he hadn’t a clue as to why sleep was evading him more than usual the night before - and the four before that, for that matter. For whatever reason, it had merely started being that he would sleep for an hour or so throughout the night, or he wouldn’t manage to sleep even a minute before morning. There didn’t seem to be an in-between so far, and the latter was starting to become a reoccurrence, unfortunately.

He knew it couldn’t have been stress-induced - at least, not this time - and life as a whole had been generally good as of late, so there wasn’t anything, in particular, to keep him awake - he just  _ was _ . Of course, his physician had said that insomnia could improve or worsen over time, but for it to take such a sudden turn in either direction was concerning. It was easy enough to keep from hindering him when it was a few lost hours of sleep, though a whole night’s worth would begin to take its toll far quicker than he could get a handle on. Knowing the amount of fretting that sharing these worries and truths would illicit, however, he decided to hold off on mentioning it for another time.

“The adrenaline highs probably kept me going,” Dream easily fibbed as he pulled his sweatshirt over his head and tossed it on top of his bag in the corner. “It’s honestly nothing to worry about, Georgie, promise.”

“Trust me, dude,” Sapnap interjected with an arm thrown around a still skeptical George’s shoulder, whispering as though they were conspiring. “You’ll know a Dream that’s hit the wall when you see one - this is easy mode.”

“Oh come on, you’ve never seen me  _ that _ sleep-deprived!”

“Yes, I have - I had to tell you to go to the doctor for insomnia the last time.”

“And they said nothing was wrong, so that was a pointless and dumb suggestion.”

“You’re pointless and dumb.”

“Says the dummy.”

“At least I’m not  _ pointless _ .”

Suddenly, a loud groan of annoyance from George broke the two from their little skirmish as the eldest’s eyes threatened to get stuck with how hard he was rolling them. Arms crossed and foot tapping, he tossed them an unimpressed glare of sorts before speaking his discontent with the childish fight. “You’re both equally idiots, okay? Now can we  _ please _ have rehearsal before Dream passes out; I don’t want to have to explain to Bad why we left him here overnight.”

“Easy, we just didn’t want to drag him back to his apartment when he’s all sweaty and gross again.”

“Oh yes, because  _ you  _ have a lot of room to talk, Sweatnap.”

If it wasn’t one pair, it was the other Dream was soon reminded as George and Sapnap launched into their own petty argument. To outsiders, it would seem almost problematic that their crew squabbled as much as they did, but to them and those that knew their dynamic, it just wouldn’t be right if they didn’t bicker at least once a day. Naturally, they cared for one another like crazy, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t get under each other’s skin - both accidentally and on purpose - from time to time. More often than not, in fact, it was intentional.

After all, one can’t have a brotherly relationship without a little back and forth teasing and taunting.

Even so, Dream had to agree with George’s previous statement that time was of the essence for a decent rehearsal with his encroaching fatigue. He could almost feel it dragging him down from whatever high lingered from that morning, slowly turning his limbs to lead and leaving his mind foggy as it sat heavy in his chest. It wasn’t a new sensation for the performer by any means, and yet, having it multiplied by six was infinitely more challenging to push through than one poor night’s worth of rest, especially considering that morning’s activities. In his head, though, Dream argued it would only take a few hours more for them to iron out the kinks he found in their sets, and then he’d be free to spend the rest of the day passed out on the couch as he pleased. Or, at the very least, attempting to chase after some well-earned sleep.

With the prospect of a warm blanket and Patches curled up beside him dancing in his eyes, Dream swiftly retrieved two discs from beneath the stereo and cleared his throat to end the feud. After a moment of hesitation on Sapnap’s part, George was released from the headlock he’d had him in, and both stood ready, albeit with a persistent sideways glare at each other.

“Arena or Fundraiser first?” Dream queried, holding a disc in each hand as though he were a magician with playing cards.

“Well,” Sapnap started as he fixed the bandana keeping the hair out of his eyes. “Karl’s not here, so I guess Fundraiser would make the most sense.”

“Let me guess, you were too busy flirting to tell him.”

“No, he had  _ work _ today, thank you very much - and you can’t call it ‘flirting’ for me if I can’t call whatever you and George do the same thing.”

“Yeah, but we  _ admit  _ we’re flirting, so it’s diff-”

“ _ Can we just run the damn set already?! _ ” George griped loud enough to be heard over the latest round of arguments, throwing his hands up in defeat as his expression conveyed his vexation.

Looking like the cat that ate the canary, Dream shot Sapnap a smug smirk before storing the unchosen disc away and popping the other into the stereo before joining them in front of the mirrors. Despite his desire to do otherwise, he decided against addressing the blush currently creeping across George’s face for once - it wasn’t as fun when he was  _ actually  _ mad at him. 

Pushing his tendency to tease aside, Dream quickly reigned in his focus for the routine ahead as he tugged the white face mask around his neck back into place. In the reflection before him, he watched himself properly adjust his signature facade as a deep breath of satisfaction was pushed from his lungs. It was the calm before the storm, so to speak, and Dream was nothing short of lightning in a bottle, ready and poised to strike.

With his familiar, crudely drawn smile now safely in place over the real-deal, Dream immediately slipped into the role of lead, taking off to the beat as if by instinct.

For the first few fleeting counts, George and Sapnap almost forgot about the blond’s worn-down state in the rush that had overtaken them. As a crew, his movements matched theirs nearly effortlessly as they continued to tear through the steps as one. Nonetheless, they knew better by now - and in a rare occurrence for the trio, they also knew how to play this particular game  _ far _ better than Dream did…

**~☆~☆~☆~**

Much to no one’s surprise, Dream managed - or more accurately,  _ forced  _ himself - to stay awake and upright for the duration of their first set with little issue, albeit a bit slower than usual. By the time the crew lead was finally pleased enough by the improvements in their routines to move on, unfortunately, he had considerable difficulty convincing George and Sapnap to do so.

“We already told you, Dream,” Sapnap repeated for what he assumed was the fifth time as he tucked the discs safely back in the bin beneath the stereo. “We can’t do the Arena set because Karl’s not here.”

“That’s such a shit excuse,” Dream fired back, throwing his hands up in the air with frustration as his bait for an argument was promptly ignored. “We’ve done Arena sets without the rest of our teams before; why can’t we do it now?”

“Well, it’s not that we  _ can’t _ , but it would be a lot easier for him if we waited to do tightening sessions  _ together  _ since it’s his first time competing and all.”

“Karl’s been practicing plenty on his own just fine; he doesn’t need us to-”

“Maybe not, but it would still help if we-”

“We can do it  _ without  _ him, Sapnap - seriously, why are you guys making this such a big deal?”

With an almost annoyed huff, Sapnap turned to face Dream - who was practically yelling in his ear by now - and fixed him with a glare to convey he wasn’t backing down. “You know this shit isn’t just about Karl not being here, right? I mean, you’re not actually  _ that  _ stupid, are you?”

“What the hell do you mean ‘stupid,’  _ you’re  _ the ones being stupid saying I’m too tired to keep going!”

“Says the idiot who’s two steps from falling over ’cause of a shit sleep schedule! Dream, I know this a big thing for us, and you want to do good, but you can’t just keep pushing yourself like this man - you’re gonna burn out sooner or later, and George and I-”

“Are being ridiculous! I’m a grown-ass adult, and I know my limits; I don’t need you two to tell me when I’ve had enough or when to go to bed!”

“We’re not telling you anything dumbass, we’re just worried about you and trying to he-”

“I don’t need ‘help,’ I’m  _ fine! _ ”

“Dream…” George’s soft sigh of concern and somewhat reprimand broke through the heated spouting, garnering Dream’s attention effortlessly as he shouldered both of their bags with an unimpressed look. 

Despite Sapnap’s continued attempt to burn a hole in the side of his head, Dream would be remiss to ignore not only the scolding tone George’s voice carried but also the hidden plea beneath. It was gentle and unspoken between them, left to linger in its shared secrecy as Dream’s irritation slowly seeped away and stranded him in a bout of conflict. Both knew there was little to say as far as words went that would convince Dream to accept defeat, his stubbornness and pride too much to rival without an outside ultimatum. Given there was only one option in that regard, George had no choice to play his trump card, unfair and brutal as it may have been.

George wouldn’t fight or beg for him to concede like Sapnap would - at least, not out loud, anyway. Instead, he would approach the challenge in a way that was much more difficult to ignore - he would simply take up residence in Dream’s mind until it ate him alive. It was wicked in context and remarkably ruthless in execution when put into motion, all things considered. Still, Dream couldn’t find it in himself to feel betrayed by the action, nor could he entirely blame George for doing so. If he knew how to combat the grip George had on him, he would’ve returned fire ages ago without hesitation - but as it currently stood, he’d yet to find that power. It kept him at George’s mercy even still.

Deep down, a small part of Dream prided itself in being the target of such an unstoppable force but burned with the envy to maintain such an innocent source of control over the other.

Adamant as he was to admit it, George’s eyes always held more than Dream was able to take in, and his current overwhelming gaze was no different. He often thought that if he allowed him to, George could wither him away to ash from the inside out before he could comprehend it all, and Dream would let him. 

There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t give to understand what George saw when he looked at him.

“...Alright,” Dream quietly relented as he turned his eyes down to the floor to avoid scorching his soul further. “We can be done for the night, but we’re picking this up tomorrow…”

“We’ll pick it up  _ Thursday _ ,” George said in a quick amendment, leaving no room for argument as he tossed his chartreuse sweatshirt in his face. “Tomorrow, you’re on house arrest from me and Sapnap so you don’t die doing random parkour runs in the middle of the night or something.”

“ _ What? _ No, no no, I didn’t agree to  _ that _ -”

“Well, Sapnap and I agree that you need to stay home, so that’s what we’re doing.”

“George, I don’t need to-”

“ _ Dream _ .”

Softer than before, that look - that deep-seated, indescribable look in George’s eyes - was back, setting Dream ablaze before he’d even had a chance to recover. He considered it to be a warning flare, one that Dream would sooner bow out to with a defeated huff rather than continuing to protest. “Fine, fine… We’ll hang out at my apartment tomorrow so I can sleep or whatever, and then on  _ Thursday _ , we’ll pick this back up - satisfied?”

“Yes, actually, thank you - now let’s  _ go _ . The last thing I want is for Bad to-”

“Geez, George, I know you’re eager to get me home and all, but you don’t have to be  _ that _ obvious about it… And in front of Sapnap, too -  _ shameless _ .”

“Wha- I-  _ No! _ ”

“Damn, go get some already, George!” Sapnap cackled as he rushed past the pair toward the door, unable to dodge the quick smack on his arm in retaliation for the comment as he went.

“Shut  _ up _ , Sapnap - the only reason I’m walking him to his apartment is because he might run off to do something stupid otherwise, and  _ you _ won’t drive him there!”

“Don’t lie, Gogy, you just want a ‘goodnight kiss’ from Dreamy-Weamy!”

“I do  _ not! _ Honestly, both of you are idiots!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
> **-INFO ABOUT UPDATES-**  
>  Due to not having a fully set-schedule for work, I can't actually promise weekly updates or really anything close to a strict schedule for this without feeling guilty if it doesn't work out. What I _can_ promise is that I'll work on it when possible on my off days and after morning shifts, but all updates - if they're ready to be posted by then - will always be released on Saturdays so you guys have some sort of idea when they'll happen.  
>   
>  **-THANK YOU & REMINDERS-**  
> If you've made it this far, all I have to say is a _huge_ thank you in advance for reading, and I hope you've _enjoyed_ what you've read up to this point! **Kudos** on this work are all greatly appreciated, **comments** are always very much welcome, and if you want to keep an eye on this story for future updates, make sure to **subscribe** at the top of the page to receive emails about them. If you aren't able to subscribe due to being a guest, feel free to check out my Tumblr for news about updates instead - I'll make a post announcing each one's release as they come out.
> 
> **-OTHER SOCIALS-**  
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>  **YouTube:** KD Nightshade


	2. So Simple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Trigger Warning: _Poor Self-Care_  
>  Listen Along:** _We Are the Dream (TheFatRat Remix)_ by Sound Remedy & Carousel
> 
>   
>   
> While escorting Dream home from rehearsal to prevent another late-night run, George opts to have a discussion or two regarding his horrendous habits and what motivates them. Adamant as George is to admit it, though, it's incredibly hard to do so without wanting to tear his hair out considering how difficult his best friend can be at times. Still, Dream doesn't exactly make it _easy_ to stay mad for very long either. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys don't want to know how _over_ writing this chapter I am right now... I know it's only the second one, but it was the roughest second go at a fic that I've ever had to crank out, honestly. It started off so strong and I was so motivated to smash it, and then I tripped and fell all the way downhill on my face. I really could not tell you why it happened this way, just that it did and I hope it's not as junk as I think it is.  
>   
> Anywhodilydo, I might go back over the next day or so and tweak it, but I'm beyond glad that I've just got it done as it is now. Fortunately, the next chapter is something I've been looking forward to for multiple reasons, and I have almost an entire week free to get going on it again. As I've said on Tumblr, however, regardless of whether or not I have it done by next Saturday, I most likely will not be updating due to Minecraft Championship 13 and the nervous wine drinking I'll be doing during it.  
> With that said, let's finally get into this torment of mine...

Despite his reluctance to do so after Dream’s teasing, George begrudgingly agreed to keep his promise to walk the lead back to his apartment - if not for his sake, for further reassurance on Sapnap’s part. Try as he might to hide it, Sapnap’s concern about leaving Dream to his own devices was still evident to George as they said their goodbyes for the night. If he’d decided not to do as he said, he knew it would’ve only been an hour or so before the youngest would’ve blown up his phone with worried texts about going over and checking on him.

In short, George would rather take the annoyance with Dream in the present rather than with Sapnap in the future. So, as Sapnap gave one final wave before turning out of the parking lot, George silently turned in the proper direction and began walking, listening as Dream soon hurried after him.

Distantly, George was somewhat comforted by the knowledge that he didn’t have to wait for him to follow - Dream simply always did when it was him that he was chasing.

“You’re such an ass sometimes,” George quietly muttered as he fought to remind himself that he was meant to be upset with his friend’s crooked grin, not content. “Why does  _ everything _ have to be a fight with you?”

“Why do  _ you guys _ act like I can’t take care of myself?” Dream quickly retorted, quirking his brow in a show of smug nonchalance in the face of George’s simmering frustration.

“Because obviously, you  _ don’t; _ otherwise, you wouldn’t be about to keel over from sleep-deprivation every time we have rehearsal.”

“Oh, it’s not  _ every _ rehearsal.”

“Dream, we are  _ not _ arguing about this again - you make shit decisions when it comes to your well-being, and you’re an absolute  _ moron _ to think you don’t.”

“I’m not a-”

“In fact, even  _ more  _ so because you assume we don’t see it either.”

“ _ George _ -”

“You. Are. A.  _ Moron _ , Dream - end of discussion.”

As much as Dream wanted to laugh off the subject, he was reminded yet again of a simple truth when it came to George - it wasn’t fun when he was actually mad. More than that, it would never sit right with Dream to know that frustration was directed toward  _ him _ .

Fortunately, although he thought otherwise from time to time, Dream knew how to navigate George’s dissatisfaction with him as well as George knew how to counter his stubbornness by now. Unlike George, though, he’d never been quite sure how to use that knowledge to his advantage at will, but somehow, he always managed to make it work well enough. All he knew for sure was that he needed to remain silent, and eventually - just like clockwork - George would start the conversation when he was ready.

Or, more accurately, whenever he felt like Dream had been pouting for too long.

Unfair as he could be at times, George found Dream to be  _ far _ more merciless in these situations - it was almost blackmailing if he were honest. He could outlast the raised voices and constant arguments for Dream’s case with little issue, but to see him willingly and quietly relinquish control of the discussion’s direction to him was almost torturous. How could George continue being upset when Dream unintentionally looked like a puppy being scolded for playing? Backing down in this fashion just wasn’t Dream - not to George, anyway - and it was troubling to know he was the cause of such things.

Slowly but surely, the next block or so was spent with this patient silence prevailing between them, wearing George down in the unspoken stalemate for him to offer the olive branch. There wasn’t much of a choice for him to feign ignorance of it after so long, especially when Dream had already given his figurative white flag. It was purely a matter of time before the accidental guilt trip would become too much to stand.

They’d made it only a sidewalk more when George softly relented and broached the subject further, albeit more blunt and straightforward than either would have liked. “I know you understand how hard it is for us not to worry when you show up to rehearsal looking like this and act like everything’s alright…”

“I do…”

“Then why can’t you just agree with us when all we’re trying to do is make sure you’re taken care of? Is it your mission to worry us to death over the stupid things you do or something?”

“No…”

“Then  _ why _ , Dream? Can you at least tell me  _ that _ …?”

On-the-spot excuses and quick white lies had never been Dream’s strong suit, not when George asked for honesty. Even then, Dream had already been dishonest once that night, and he struggled to justify doing so again with how desperately George’s eyes were searching his for answers.

George was altogether at a loss with what to do with him at this point, reaching for whatever scrap of guidance Dream could offer on the subject. If anything, Dream  _ owed  _ him the truth this time.

“I don’t really know what to tell you, George,” Dream faintly confessed, feeling increasingly more embarrassed by the lame attempt to explain than he cared to admit. He could practically see his face heating to a bright ruby red with how pitiful of a response it was by now. “I guess it’s just… I think it’s because I know it makes people  _ happy _ in the end, you know? When you know that’s what comes out of it, you don’t really bother worrying about the ‘bad’ things, you just think about the good.”

George wasn’t quite sure why he was surprised by Dream’s mumbled out reasoning - he’d always had a proclivity for putting his work before his health. It was hardly a new horrible habit for Dream to confess to; however, his ludicrous way with words almost made it seem more like an apology than anything. He knew as well as George did that it was a problem he’d been perpetuating. Still, George couldn’t find it in himself to chastise Dream when he provided a decent justification for it. It was difficult enough to hold that conversation on a good day, and George certainly wasn’t going to pester him about it on a bad one with as sincere as he sounded. That was as quick of a sure-fire way to negate what meager progress he’d been making on bettering the flaw as any when it came to Dream.

In this scenario, Dream was most akin to a child being ordered to clean their room - retaliatory and defiant purely to prove they couldn’t be told what to do. It was important for Dream to have  _ his  _ say be the final word on such matters, almost to the point that anything else was considered irrelevant. No matter if he was entirely right in his thinking or completely wrong, so long as it was  _ his  _ thinking that drove his actions, he would be satisfied.

On most days, George would call it a somewhat admirable quality for anyone to have. However, it only enabled a rise in self-sacrificial tendencies if it wasn't carefully kept in mind in Dream's case.

Much to his immense dismay, George was already cursing himself for caving on account of both this wariness and Dream’s second wave of unintentional guilt-tripping. In some distant corner of his mind, George wondered if Dream knew how effortlessly he could twist his arm in these arguments with the faint, sheepish grin he now sported. It would be stupidly easy to chalk his defeat up to that knowledge of control on Dream’s part if that were true.

Except, George wasn’t an idiot - there wasn’t much to do for a weakness born out of predilection. Whether he knew what power the title of “best friend” held or not, Dream was his, and that made him the one person he could never stay strong against. Even so, that certainly didn’t mean he couldn’t continue to affectionately chide him.

After all, that was his duty as - how he preferred to look at it - the  _ better  _ half of their friendship.

“But you don’t have to  _ sacrifice _ yourself to do that, idiot,” George said with a sigh, shaking his head disapprovingly as though his following statement was even more apparent. “You make plenty of people happy, even when you  _ don’t _ look like a zombie.”

“I don’t look  _ that _ bad…” Dream half-heartedly protested as he playfully rolled his eyes and pretended not to see the challenging arch of George’s brow in response.

“I still thought you had your stage makeup on when you first came in today, Dream;  _ that’s _ how bad the bags under your eyes are right now.”

“Oh come-”

Instantly, the lingering negativity hanging in the atmosphere was gone in the place of a high-pitched giggle of recognition and the quick, embarrassed buttoning up of a mouth. Despite George's anticipatedly raised eyebrows for him to continue, Dream merely huffed through his nose and quelled the smile threatening to line his lips. Twisting it into a wry expression to avoid entertaining George more than he already had by the slip, Dream ultimately conceded to George's previous assertion to change the subject. "Alright, you're right - I  _ am _ a moron sometimes… But in my defense, they really  _ do  _ make it worth it, okay?"

"Who does?"

"The fans. I mean, have you  _ seen _ their faces when any of us uploads anymore? They always get so excited to see the notification pop up, especially when it's not expected - it's like  _ Christmas _ to them sometimes.

Today on the tram, there was actually a little girl  _ literally  _ bouncing in her seat because she saw I uploaded a new run. A-And the way she was talking to her mom about watching it with her friends was just… George, it's like the best feeling in the whole damn world knowing  _ I _ did that, and not even being exhausted every day can ruin it because it's just  _ worth it _ . It's worth it  _ every  _ time, no questions asked.

You know what I’m saying here, right? Like, you honestly can’t tell me you don’t feel the same way too sometimes; it would just be an insane  _ lie  _ if you did.”

For all his efforts, George couldn’t fight the warmth of fondness blooming in his chest at the passion Dream exuded. When in his stride, Dream practically  _ glowed _ with enthusiasm and pride for his rambles, a live wire lighting up the world around him with each excited babble that found his lips. It was like watching the moon illuminate the night sky, heavenly and uncontested by even the stars that were soon found dancing in his eyes with promise. To anyone else, George didn’t think it would be nearly as beautiful as it was to him.

If he were an unconditionally honest man, George would go so far as to say it nearly took his breath away to bear witness to such a marvel. A miracle, even, if one dared to venture that far into the state of enchanted awe Dream left him in.

Of course, George would never confess such a thing to Dream outright. And yet, he often wondered if the tender smile he was currently sporting conveyed that information regardless of his withholding of it. If it did, Dream hadn’t commented on it so far, and George seldom felt like being honest with his feelings unless pressed to do so. As profoundly as their bond ran, it was considered by George to be better that way for them both.

Nevertheless, George took a few moments more to soak in the sentimental indulgence before training his face back into one of light-hearted vexation and once more shook his head. It wasn’t a rare occurrence, but George still begrudged admitting Dream was right with that doofy grin of his doing most of the talking.

“Well,” George sighed in compromise as though he were outrageously put upon by doing so. “As long as you know your limits -  _ and  _ you keep your health in mind first going forward - I guess we can be a little less overbearing about it… But don’t make a habit of it; you already look like shit as it is, and I don’t want to find out that you can somehow look even worse than you do now.”

“Oh thanks,” Dream lightly wheezed, sarcasm dripping from his words in the most teasing of ways. “I feel  _ so _ supported right now - has anyone ever told you you should be a motivational speaker?”

“Shut up, you know how I meant it.”

“I don’t really know if I do, George - it sounds an awful lot like you tried to be nice and gave up halfway through just to call me ugly.”

“Would you prefer I call you stupid again?”

At the smug arch of George’s brow, Dream felt himself take pause to weigh the options of challenging the question or letting it slide. He knew from the confidence in George’s tone that he was backed into a corner, left without any proper means of escape unless he were to do something drastic in exchange. In this arena, they were virtually equals, but oh how apparent it was that George knew to play the field better at times like these.

Dream didn’t mind - he liked the little games they played with each other, especially when confronted with the downright dirty methods George preferred to compete with on occasion.

“And here I thought you were trying to take care of me,” Dream swiftly said in mock shock as he mimicked the clutching of pearls and a possibility of fainting from scandal. It would almost be annoying if George didn’t know the fool and his antics so well by now - that just made it  _ endearing _ , to say the least. “Now I know you just wanted to walk me home to  _ insult  _ me… Honestly, George, next time drive the knife right in, why don’t you!”

“You are so dramatic it’s ridiculous…” George mumbled through a small chuckle, trying and inevitably failing to conceal the grin now splitting his cheeks.

“I thought you said I was stupid.”

“You’re  _ both, _ actually, so I’m double right.”

Unsurprisingly, Dream’s feigned indignance became genuine astonishment as a barked laugh of disbelief escaped him at the rebuttal. Brief as this paralysis was, George couldn’t help but give a delighted giggle at Dream’s expression of being caught off guard before he received a hard shove to the side. Soon after, the younger’s signature wheeze slowly came to him in quiet bursts as both struggled not to fall into a complete fit of cackling at the banter. “You’re such a  _ jerk _ sometimes, holy hell!”

“Yeah, well, this is what happens when I have to babysit you because you run around the rooftops instead of sleeping at night like a nimrod.”

“You could be a little  _ nicer _ about it, though! A-And you didn’t even ‘have to’ walk me home either - I was  _ literally  _ planning on trying to crash after rehearsal anyway.”

“Oh yes, because yesterday was a perfect example of why I should trust that statement.”

“Really, I was just going to snuggle with Patches all night!”

“Uh-huh,  _ sure. _ ”

There it was again. That same dishonorable pout that Dream never shied away from deploying when all of his other cards had been played, his ultimate secret weapon against George. This time around, it was a tiny thing, but deathly persuasive and swaying all the same when George allowed himself to spot it. 

Luckily - as Dream was often wont to be described - George wasn’t as resilient as he had been earlier, surrendering relatively quick with a measly huff of defeat.

“I’m just messing with you, Dream,” George benevolently reassured as he bumped their shoulders together to further lighten the mood. “You couldn’t run anywhere even if you wanted to right now; you look like you’re about to faceplant the second we walk in the door.”

“You’re not far off at this point, honestly,” Dream mused mid-yawn, voice straining as he stretched and offered a roguish, permissive smirk to counter the playful jab. “Dealing with you has  _ definitely _ worn me out.”

“Whatever - the sooner we get to your apartment, the sooner I can stop hearing you whine.”

“Wah wah, says the one whining about having to take me there, to begin with.”

“I didn’t  _ have _ to do this, you know.”

“Yeah, so why are you complaining about it so much? I mean, you’re acting almost like you made a ‘bad decision’ or something.”

Instantly, the roles were reversed as George’s mouth fell open with incredulity, and Dream gave a falsified look of innocence at the sight. It was all George could do not to smack Dream when he too narrowed his eyes at the other, easily mimicking him with a self-satisfied hum hidden behind his simper. Somewhere in the back of his head, George was vehemently scolding himself for finding the whole ordeal as comfortingly familiar as he did.

Out loud, however, he would have to settle for the only half-hearted dig his mind could manage in such an otherwise pleasant exchange. “I swear, sometimes you make it unbelievably hard not to hate you…”

“Well, it must be  _ really _ hard for you because I know you can’t.”

“...Maybe.”

George hadn’t bothered arguing because, as usual, Dream was irrevocably correct - he couldn’t hate him even if he was well within his rights to. So simple of a reason as it was, the title of “best friend” negated that possibility.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
> **-INFO ABOUT UPDATES-**  
>  Due to not having a fully set-schedule for work, I can't actually promise weekly updates or really anything close to a strict schedule for this without feeling guilty if it doesn't work out. What I _can_ promise is that I'll work on it when possible on my off days and after morning shifts, but all updates - if they're ready to be posted by then - will always be released on Saturdays so you guys have some sort of idea when they'll happen.  
>   
>  **-THANK YOU & REMINDERS-**  
> If you've made it this far, all I have to say is a _huge_ thank you in advance for reading, and I hope you've _enjoyed_ what you've read up to this point! **Kudos** on this work are all greatly appreciated, **comments** are always very much welcome, and if you want to keep an eye on this story for future updates, make sure to **subscribe** at the top of the page to receive emails about them. If you aren't able to subscribe due to being a guest, feel free to check out my Tumblr for news about updates instead - I'll make a post announcing each one's release as they come out.
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	3. Say the Word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Tag Warning: _None_**  
>  **Listen Along:** _Say the Word_ by Defqwop 
> 
>   
> What started as a simple walk home quickly turns into more upon one routine request from Dream: Stay.  
> Unfortunately for George, it only takes one word to light the stars and hang the moon... 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, this update is meant to not only give some insight into how deep Dream and George’s bond runs at this point, but also the power Dream has over George since we saw the opposite in the previous chapter. I might be going straight in without much pomp and circumstance, however, there’s something to be said about the satisfaction of a build-up when the facts are all there and only the wait remains. Don’t worry too much though Sapnap fans, we’ll be getting back to him and a cameo from our favorite doofball next update, just sit tight…  
>   
> With that out of the way, I would just like to give a huge thank you to [thatminiwriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatminiwriter) for being both a beta and a great source of support when I was struggling this week. Seriously Vibez, thank you so so much for putting up with me and my sleep-deprived chaos gremlin ways like no other, it made a world of difference when it came to continuing to work and push forward. Thank you thrice, and I’m sorry for it twice~ 💕  
>   
> Anywhodilydo, onto the update kiddos...

The remainder of their trek to Dream’s apartment was spent in relative silence, companionable and comforting between what few bouts of banter and small talk managed to bubble up. It was hardly a rare occurrence, all things considered, but rather a well-established facet of their relationship by now. 

Only a whisper when compared to the city’s symphony, they’d long learned to build themselves a safe harbor of unspoken words to avoid being washed away by the unforgiving sea. Weather-worn and time-tested as it may have been, they had remained tucked away in knowing looks and understanding smiles through even the wickedest of waves. As the currents changed and the tides turned, they continued to brave the waters with each tacit exchange, finding preservation in the steadfast nature of their ever-obdurate bond. Even in the darkest of nights, their presence alone guided each other back to safety through it all.

It was an odd thing to think about in retrospect, saying all the right things without having ever spoken. Dream supposed that’s why their connection was so valued - the effortlessness and ease of being understood by someone who knew you so well. Words weren’t needed to know what the other thought or felt, and a quick glance would be more than suffice if the necessity  _ was  _ there. He could empathize with the envy and wanting these sorts of interrelations invoked in those around them, of course. Still, he would be remiss to say he apologized for it.

What he shared with George was unparalleled, a rarity that most spent a lifetime searching for, and he was selfishly proud to say it was his. In fact, as of late - when these hushed moments between them had become relatively sparse due to work - he had only become more avaricious of it.

Allowing his thoughts to wander on the subject for a while longer, Dream was surprised to find he couldn’t quite recall the last time they’d managed to spend time together as a pair. The past month had been spent rehearsing as a crew for the Noxcrew Arena competition, and the month before that, one from Beast Competitions. Even when they hadn’t been rehearsing, Dream was too busy prepping for runs to catch George - not that he wasn’t already instructing at the studio, anyway. Although they would never completely take over, their careers had inadvertently taken the wheel and left their friendship shirked in the backseat for a while now that Dream thought about it. It hadn’t been intentional, of course, but it had happened nonetheless, and now that Dream had taken note of it, it didn’t sit right with him in the slightest.

Distracted as he was, Dream hadn’t noticed they were in the elevator until the chirp signaling they’d reached his floor interrupted his bothersome realization. In doing so, however, it also provided him with a possible resolution to the apparent problem at hand.

“Alright,” George started in that familiar mother-henning tone from earlier as they reached the door at the end of the hall. “Sapnap and I should be here around eleven tomorrow, so make sure you-”

“Aren’t you gonna stay?” Dream mumbled with faux absent-mindedness, not sparing so much as a glance as he arched a brow in question while sifting through his key ring. 

”’Stay?’”

Regardless of how many times he’d heard the innocent inquiry, George had yet to avoid the moment of pause its being brought up caused. Simple as it may have been to anyone else, that word held far more meaning to them than the casual connotation that tended to precede it. George knew there wasn’t any way to argue against what it was genuinely asking of him, but he could certainly try with the watch on his wrist and the excuses in his head. “Dream, it’s already almost five…”

“So?”

“ _ So,  _ I have to go home - Dahlia and Valentine need to be-”

“Can’t you ask Sam to swing by and do it?”

“I can’t just expect him to go out of his way to take care of my pets every time you-”

“He did last time; just ask.”

Another pause. An invitation was difficult enough for George to evade, but an entreaty was almost too much to deny with the way Dream persisted. When contra to the urging tone of Dream’s voice, George’s weak pretexts were all but dashed upon the rocks, leaving him one last floundering resort:

Demanding an answer of his own.

“Why are you so insistent on me staying?” George decisively suspired, pointedly searching for Dream to meet his eyes in a bid for complete transparency.

“It’s been a while since we’ve hung out,” Dream half-heartedly attempted to explain as he singled out the correct key. Predictably, George’s regret for gaining Dream’s full attention immediately after was instantaneous when chocolate finally locked with - as he perceived it - piercing daffodil. He’d heard the shrieking alarms warning of the danger swirling within too late to save himself any further. “Why not do it tonight?”

“Because we’re  _ literally _ hanging out tomorrow…?”

“I mean, yeah, I  _ guess -  _ but it’ll be with Sapnap.”

The clarity behind what was now inarguably revealed to be Dream’s plea was salient. It was an inevitability of sorts, drowning in the supplication George had come to know so well. Once he allowed himself not to be blind to it, there wasn’t any orison for him to imitate ignorance and chase the lurking guilt for doing so away. Dream was asking so very little of him, and yet, George felt as though he would deny him the world if he refused him the answer he sought.

George staying with Dream that night meant more than merely spending time together. That knowledge was beyond the capability of being lost on them both. Neither needed to maintain false pretenses and flippant excuses to cover up the truth when the sea had yet to be anything short of typhlotic to it thus far. Nevertheless, willingly watching tossed lifelines such as those sink beneath the surf was too terrifying of a reservation to go without even still. In due course, they would learn to stay afloat without them, but tonight of all nights was undoubtedly not the time to brave the storm unaided.

If George’s muted murmur of response was any indication, he was counting himself lucky to still be afloat with the way he’d made Dream desperately dive for his own preservation. “I suppose it has been a while, hasn’t it…?”

Dream could feel the air rushing back into his lungs at George’s surrender, watching his expression notably soften in recognition of what he was veritably asked. Terrible as it may have been to admit, Dream knew George’s resignation was unavoidable from the moment he’d thrown him into the deep end. In a way, Dream thought of it almost as though he’d given him no choice in the matter - George’s decision was irrevocable by design as his best friend.

Confident as Dream was in his little ensnarement, though, the meager protests George tended to offer as an escape for himself never failed to cause concern. As much as they had worked so far, Dream was always waiting for the day they would eventually be successful with bated breath.

However, it appeared that day - much to Dream’s silent relief - was still to come, being dismissed readily enough back into the corner of Dream’s mind once more. In the present, Dream was too busy beaming and raising his eyebrows expectantly at George for further confirmation to pay it any more thought. Soon after, the way George seemed to light up equally as much at the sudden change in the atmosphere all but banished it completely. 

“...Alright, alright,” George relented with mock exasperation, playfully poking Dream in the chest as he tried to keep from simpering too hard. “I’ll stay, but you’re on thin ice, Mr. Devons.”

“Oh-ho,” Dream exclaimed in the same feigned offense as he put on the charade of being taken aback by George’s words despite the pleased grin he wore. “Pulling out the last name on me, huh?”

“Could’ve been the middle one.”

“Well, that would’ve been practically threatening me, so it’s a good thing it wasn’t.”

“Or what, were you gonna call the cops on me?”

“Maybe, they like arresting idiots.”

“And they haven’t gotten you yet  _ because…? _ ”

“Already tried, but my brain was too big for them, and they lost me.”

Try as he might, George couldn’t contain his giggle at the preposterous boast, never mind the matter-of-fact smirk Dream sported on top of it. Dream demonstrated braggadocio by nature more than anyone else he knew, but when it was so blatantly for theatrics, it never ceased to leave George amused beyond reason. There was purely something about the way Dream managed to make a joke of it while still regarding it as somewhat fact that George found laughable.

All snickers aside, whether it was because he knew the man behind the brag or because of how ridiculous the farce could be at times, it never made George any less fond when they faded out. Long after the laughter had subsided and the show was over, the endearment would always remain luminous in his heart.

Charmed, George thought as he shook his head at the display, was the perfect word to describe how those moments made him feel as Dream returned to unlocking the door. “You really are such an idiot sometimes, Dream…”

_ Only for you, sunshine _ , Dream’s thoughts sing-songed back as he motioned for George to enter the apartment first, the heavenly warmth in his chest now matching the smile on his lips.  _ Only for you…  _

**~☆** **~☆~** **☆~**

In the hours that preceded the sunset, the pair had taken care to toss their rehearsal clothes in the wash while they - or more accurately,  _ George  _ \- made something easy for a quick dinner. Despite Dream arguing otherwise, George was resolute in his belief that Dream was running on too few fumes by then to be trusted with the stovetop. George couldn’t exactly say he was apologetic about refusing to let Dream help - seeing him pout from the barstool across the way was highly entertaining to watch.

Still, George was mindful of watching his step when it came to a miffed Dream and had wound up shooing him away to check the laundry before he could fester for too long. After all, it wasn’t quite fair of George to tease when Dream had been willing to lend him a sweatshirt after having forgotten his at the studio in the rush to leave.

In fact, George was still struggling to push the absurdly over-large sleeves up and away from the food when Dream returned from throwing the load in the dryer. If he heard Dream lightly wheezing at his expense, George opted to ignore it for the sake of what he thought to be gratitude on his part. To George, Dream should’ve found  _ him  _ gracious for preparing their meal and carrying both plates out to the balcony without hesitation. George elected to keep quiet about that as well, though, considering Dream had already softened the patio floor with pillows and blankets for them. He’d simply have to use his leverage of selflessness another day when Dream wasn’t as cooperative.

Disregarding the little voice in his head asserting he wouldn’t, George settled himself on the left side of the blanket before motioning with his head for Dream to claim the right. Like clockwork, they quickly fell into the routine that certain nights shared between them tended to follow.

For the next hour or so, they would eat in affable silence and watch night descend across the cityscape before them, sunlight giving way to neon as it illuminated the building tops. Distantly, the bass of a dozen clubs could be heard pounding above the buzz of nightlife, acting like an intoxicating siren song that beckoned them to join. Despite the serenade, however, their little landing of starlight and moonbeams always proved to be stronger in its quaint bubble of quiet content. Unknown to the crowds below, the pair could sit for hours with only the peace of nature’s music and each other’s company to fill the time that sped by. Even if it were the end of time, the parties roaring to life around them would never hold a candle to basking in the eventide’s glow as they did now.

The pleasant incandescence that came from being able to float above it all was still gleaming in George’s eyes when he wordlessly stood and offered to return their dishes inside. As was custom, Dream passed his plate with only a doting smile to show his gratitude, humming to himself as he rearranged their haven for stargazing. 

Regardless of the calm he’d left behind, though, George couldn’t say he was surprised to find Dream faintly giggling to himself by the time he made his way back out to the balcony. Fond as he was of the sight, George merely leaned against the doorway and gave a tender sigh to announce his return as Dream tittered on unphased. Although he couldn’t entirely predict the latest source of Dream’s amusement, George found he hardly cared with how moonstruck it left him.

That is until Dream began to explain himself, anyway.

“Remember when I used to climb in your window?” Dream finally said with laughter lacing his voice, a mischievous grin splitting his cheeks when George immediately groaned in response.

“Oh my god,” George bemoaned as he swiftly plopped back down and covered his face with his hands in overdramatic fashion. “ _ Of course _ I remember; you always scared the hell out of me.”

“Not always; you expected it after a while.”

“Only because I could hear you giggling like a lunatic over the  _ thought  _ of scaring me.”

“Well,  _ yeah _ \- your face was funny enough, but the screaming was  _ hilarious _ . I’m surprised your neighbors didn’t call the cops a few times if I’m honest; we probably sounded like a horror movie.”

“They should’ve, you  _ psycho _ .”

“Spoken like a true scream queen…”

There was that cool, matter-of-fact tone again - only this time, it made George want to scoff rather than giggle. Understandably enough, though, George didn’t even bother giving Dream the satisfaction of that response, choosing instead to silently glare at his friend in utter unamusement.

Dream, for what it was worth, noticed George’s dissatisfaction relatively quickly for how jovial the situation had become. Nevertheless, it didn’t make him chuckle any less. George’s scowl could easily rival Dream’s pout for entertainment purposes.

“What,” Dream jokingly asked between borderline wheezes, falling into a complete fit of cackles shortly after when George eventually let out a huff of offense. “ _ What? _ ” 

“ _ You _ ,” George began with a rather forceful jab to Dream’s side to show his disapproval of the jest. “Are a  _ nimrod _ !”

“ _ What?! _ I’m just telling the  _ truth _ , George!”

“So am I - you  _ are _ a nimrod!”

Dream had desperately tried to contain himself, but the tone of pure injustice filling George’s declaration was too ridiculous for Dream to not completely lose it. Instantly, Dream began howling to the point of light-headedness, shaking and holding his ribs as George struggled not to be swept away by the infectious outburst. Dream knew he should be “insulted” - principally when it came from an annoyed friend - however, he knew George far too well to be serious. George found their bickering as petty and inconsequential as he did.

As if proving Dream’s assumption correct, George soon found himself grappling with a few stifled snickers the more red Dream became. Slowly but surely, the short snickers gave way to full-on guffaws that left tears spilling from both their eyes as they writhed on the cement with breathlessness. For what felt like ages, they fought to draw oxygen back into their now panicking lungs, tumbling over and over again into the same unstoppable fit of laughter as they went.

It wasn’t until Dream began choking on the lack of it that they began to calm themselves, sharing increasingly faint chortles before tapering off into silence once more. 

With the gleeful moment having passed and fatigue setting in, the freshly sedated pair opted to lean against one another for a tether before turning their attention back to the galaxy above. A well-practiced habit of their friendship by now, George allowed his head to loll on Dream’s shoulder with an eased sigh as Dream tilted his own to then rest on top. Skittish as he was about such things typically, George was secretly pleased to have the small show of affection between them, finding comfort in its simplicity throughout the years. It had never been too much to tolerate, nor too little to brush away as unimportant. Somehow, it was always what George needed it to be, even when he was unaware of that necessity prior.

By his side, Dream was practically effulgent with cherishment over the rapture currently washing over their hidden perch amongst the stars. The steady exhale of breaths, the whist timbre of heartbeats, the shared warmth against the breeze… Dream had to wonder how his eyes had yet to drift from the star-dusted sky to where George was blissfully nestled beside him. 

Somewhere in his addled brain - whether it be from sleep-deprivation or something more fragile - Dream couldn’t resist the question that lingered. Had it not been for George’s own bewitched mind, the sincerity of Dream’s careless whispers would’ve been enough to bury him. “...Those are still really good memories, though, right…? Like, I know we’re memeing each other about it, but do you-”

“All the memeary aside, Dream, yes… I still think they’re very good memories too…”

Helpless as he was to fight it anymore, Dream’s gaze fell away from the cosmos to capture the soft, sentimental smile gracing George’s lips. It was fleeting at best, but the sight was one Dream would never tire of committing to memory, cherishing the reserved tranquility brought only by nonage recollections. Lost in this small bout of indulgence, however, Dream failed to notice just how far George had plunged into the depths of his remembrance.

If he were honest, George looked back on those long-since passed nights with abundant, indescribable nostalgia for what once had been their little secret in adolescence.

When it all began, George was still renting out an apartment that maintained a strict curfew thanks to unruly university students disrupting other tenants the year prior. With this restriction in place, there failed to be any way for George to have guests over after a specific time, and staying out late to hang out wasn’t an option either. If he wasn’t back in the building at the designated curfew mark, the building doors would be locked, and he would be forced to room somewhere else for the night.

In the present, it wouldn’t have been an issue to stay at another’s building for the night, but he’d still been new to the area then and hadn’t had the chance to make many friendships just yet. In fact, he and Dream had only just started texting one another outside of studio hours when the first visit had taken place, as George recalled.

George supposes that’s what startled him the most when Dream had climbed through his window that night - they hardly knew one another, and yet, he’d scaled George’s building just so they could chat. Knowing Dream as he did now, however, it wasn’t such an outrageous length to go to when it came to spending more time with a friend in his eyes. That didn’t make it any less alarming, though, and George would be the first to admit surprise that the police weren’t called to investigate a murder with how shrilly he screamed. It was perhaps a good thing they weren’t in the end, considering George nearly strangled Dream to death after recognition had settled in.

Dream, for what it was worth, had nearly died of his own accord with how much he wheezed at George’s terrified display. He often argued in his defense following that initial meeting that nothing would ever top seeing a grown man cowering behind a plastic serving spoon when confronted with an intruder.

After they started settling into this odd routine, George slowly learned when to expect an impromptu appearance from Dream after curfew hours, catching him less and less off-guard by the night. Each time Dream would come around, it always would be far enough after midnight that the twilight would’ve already laid the world around them to rest. Without anyone but the stars to witness their clandestine rendezvous, Dream would then glide in under cover of darkness and find wherever George was knowingly awaiting his arrival. Sometimes it would be at the kitchen table blocking out the rest of a routine, others in his room staring at the barren ceiling with thoughts of the future that had turned foggy. No matter the location or the activity, Dream went to him all the same, and George’s attention would soon be drawn away willingly in repose.

What was once an hour of chatting gradually turned into evenings of quiet conversations cast beneath the moonlight, hiding them away from the sunshine even when all that remained was companionable silence. In the familiarity of it all, their shared sense of beatific ease never wavered or waned but instead grew stronger as the nights lazily drifted by. 

Unfortunately, against their wishes, dawn would inevitably come spilling through the window, and Dream - much like his namesake - would slip away as though he were a whisper in the wind. The morning light never failed to make George feel anything short of disappointment on these days, watching Dream go with a strange taste of melancholy stirring in his chest. Deep down, he knew it was irrational for such emotions to fester when they would see one another in the studio a few hours later anyway. Still, there was something different about the weight of their words when swathed in shadows that rendered that fact moot regardless of how true it was. 

As most things are wont to do over time, though, these sacred meetings ultimately ceased to be when George finally managed to find another apartment free of restrictions. Past the need to sneak in free time with each other, they were quickly rendered unnecessary by both - at least, as they used to exist, anyway.

Where they currently stood, something new had taken their place - something more akin to the evening they were presently sharing compared to the previous rendition.

On the rare occasion that the stars aligned to do so nowadays, Dream would ask George to stay at his apartment, and George - weak as he was to that soft tone of Dream’s - would always agree. On even the most argument-filled days between them, George could never push himself to say no when Dream’s eyes lit with that gentle flicker of pleading. Whereas George’s left him struggling to place the emotions trapped within, Dream’s were relentlessly overflowing with them to the point that it left George’s head spinning. If he allowed himself to meet them for too long, George was confident he would be swallowed whole by the unforgiving sea they conveyed.

And so, George would stay. Long after the sun had set and lights had gone down, George would stay with Dream as their world gave way to the afterlight, and the night would embrace them just as it had before. Laying on the floor of Dream’s balcony, they would watch the heavens dance across the sky above together, basking in the calm of its symphony when words were no longer needed. Lost in its ethereal enchantment, what was once nostalgia had now become an unabashed source of lingering fondness and tender devotion between them.

In their private piece of the universe, moonless nights had turned terribly vulnerable, verging dangerously close to tearing them apart with each intimate whisper they dared to speak. Clinging to every tacit promise the other could give, they would keep each other company through the nights that marched on, unafraid of the consequences revealed by sunlight. With each faint, sentimental sigh that escaped them, they carried the knowledge that they were safe in each other’s presence, warmed by the low flame of adoration that burned beneath. Silently, they chose to remain content in their blissful ignorance, neither dwelling on the newfound sensation when it too became lost in the haze of dawn once parted.

To this day, George refuses to believe that anyone - not even Sapnap - knows of the sacrosanct nights he shares with Dream, never mind the cherished ones from so long ago. Even if they did, he doubts they could understand their real depth as they do - the ache that it leaves them with. 

It’s a fragile thing, that cognizance of longing. At one time, George would have dismissed it so effortlessly. However, when faced with the gravity of realization now, he found it hard not to forget himself in light of it. The sad and inescapable truth was, even looking to Dream for answers did little to help all for one irrefutable fact…

In those moments, whether in moonlight or sunshine, Dream’s eyes reflected too much of George’s own to find any semblance of comfort in how bare they laid him. 

“I think I’m going to bed,” George bluntly mumbled, promptly ignoring the heat in his face as he shuffled back inside to escape his wandering thoughts. “Are the blankets still in the hallway closet…?”

“You can just have the bed, George…” Dream said with doting reverence for the soft tone George’s exhaustion elicited, rolling onto his stomach as he slowly watched him go.

“That means you’re not going to sleep tonight, doesn’t it…?”

“Probably not, but you should - I thought you dozed off for a second there…”

“Well, I can’t now because I know you’ll be up by yourself…”

“Why does  _ that  _ matter…?”

“Because if I leave you up by yourself, you might do something  _ stupid _ , Dream…”

Point blank as it may have been, George was correct to assume such a thing, primarily where the night before was concerned. Dream could give a flippant fib and deny all he wished, but he  _ did  _ very much make questionable choices when left to his own devices. In fact, that was the reason George had been there, to begin with, that night - to keep him from doing something foolish. 

Still, Dream making those choices for himself was one thing, whereas forcing them onto George by proxy was quite another entirely. If anything, Dream owed George some simulacrum of trust after having agreed to stay for him. “If I promise not to do anything ‘stupid,’ will you go to sleep…?”

“I don’t know, can you at least  _ try _ to sleep…?”

“ _ Will you go to sleep…? _ ”

As much as George wanted to repudiate his offered solution, Dream’s insistence for an answer proved his word to be sound enough for his listless brain. Stubborn and impudent as it came across, though, George wasn’t too far gone to demand a firm confirmation of their compromise to save the potential headache later just yet.

“...Only if you promise…” George timidly pouted in concession as he hesitantly dared to meet Dream’s eyes and the temporarily tamed tempest they still yielded.

“Alright then,” Dream agreed with a faint glimmer of complete deference lacing his features. It was all George could do not to be caught in the riptide of his voice, fighting a losing battle with the raw current running through his whisper. As if his weakness wasn’t already apparent enough, the way George’s breath was stolen away by the vow that followed made it all the more undeniable. “It’s a promise - I’ll be right here when you wake up…”

“You swear…?”

“Yes, George… Now go to sleep; it’s been a long day…”

For all of Dream’s attentiveness, George was amazed he couldn’t hear the way his stuttering heart was swept back under the waves of wanting. His weary recklessness notwithstanding, George was putting forth as much effort to push against the gravitational pull of Dream’s presence, and still it coaxed him to relent.

Distantly, George urged himself to take Dream’s advice in a last bid for his survival -  _ go to sleep _ .

“...Whatever,” George quietly grumbled in a poor final attempt to chase away the effects of Dream’s lenity as he made his way up to the loft. “ _ You _ should be the one going to sleep, idiot…”

Born out of the need to tamper whatever flames George had ignited, Dream elected not to give the cold comment much credence. George had a tendency to let his emotions fall into a tailspin when tired, notably when it came to Dream and the nights he convinced him to stay. If Dream had taken everything George said in those moments to heart, the story of their friendship wouldn’t be anywhere near what it was today.

With a silent reminder to mention it in the morning, Dream waited until George was safely tucked away beneath the covers upstairs before turning his eyes back to the moon with a sigh. “...Maybe tomorrow, George… Maybe tomorrow…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
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